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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29981526">As Heroes Live and Die</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlightagainstclouds/pseuds/moonlightagainstclouds'>moonlightagainstclouds</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Death of TommyInnit [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Im Just Winging It At This Point, Ranboo Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Sad Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade-centric (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:27:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,463</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29981526</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlightagainstclouds/pseuds/moonlightagainstclouds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Tommy,” he replies. “It’s Tommy, he- his-”</p><p>“What happened to Tommy?” Techno asks, coaxing him to respond. Ranboo turns to Techno, his red and green eyes sadder than Techno has ever seen. </p><p>“He’s dead.”</p><p>-</p><p>(AKA Techno's reaction to Tommy's death wasn't angsty enough, so I figured I'd fix it)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ranboo &amp; Technoblade &amp; Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo &amp; Toby Smith | Tubbo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Death of TommyInnit [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>As Heroes Live and Die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>basically, my last work was rushed because i wanted to get it out before Tommy (inevitably) was revived. so, i expanded on my favorite part: Techno. </p><p>also, Techno's reaction to Tommy's death wasn't angsty enough for me, so i just hurt myself instead. who gave me this power.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Techno, I appreciate it, I do. But did you really have to scream at all those zombies?” Phil has his back turned to Techno, hunched over his work station preparing golden carrots. </p><p>“I don’t see an issue here. I’m just trying to keep you safe,” Techno responds, equally enthralled in his own job crushing blaze rods into a fine dust.</p><p>“Every time you screamed I thought I would have a heart attack!” Phil shouts, throwing a glance over his shoulder</p><p>“Hey, it’s not my fault you’re old. That’s why I was protectin’ you in the first place,” Techno shrugs. Phil answers his taunt by throwing the stem of a carrot towards him, hitting Techno square in the forehead. He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand and smiles to himself; his situation was far from perfect, but this place was his home, and he’d grown content in their little commune. Just him, Phil, and-</p><p>His thoughts are interrupted by an explosion outside the house.</p><p>“Glad we can keep those creepers outside of the house, would be a real pain if they ever got inside” Techno jokes.</p><p>“Yeah, they can be pretty…” Phil trails off and the chopping sound stops. Techno looks up and sees Phil staring intently out the window in front of him. Techno is about to get up to see for himself when Phil drops the knife and rushes for his sword.</p><p>“Techno, get the healing potions!” he shouts on his way out the door. The fear and urgency laced in Phil’s words startle Techno to move quickly, and he climbs down into their storage cellar to grab supplies. He doesn’t know what’s happened, but he swears he hears Phil yell Ranboo’s name on his way out the door. He returns to the surface armed with anything he can carry and rushes out the door. Sure enough, he finds Phil struggling to defend a figure huddled in the snow below his feet. He sprints, dropping the supplies by the boy and moving to take out his axe.</p><p>“Take care of him, I’ve got the mobs!” he shouts, moving to slash a creeper in front of him. He hears a hiss escape from the creature before landing another blow and watching it die in front of him. He moves on, working methodically through the skeletons, wary of their arrows pointing at him from all directions, and minds the zombies slowly approaching him. In between bouts, he spares glances back to Phil and Ranboo, ensuring they’re out of harm’s way before continuing. He works his way through the swarm that surrounds the three quickly.</p><p>He huffs in the cold air from the winter night, leaning on his axe to hold his balance while he regains his strength. Satisfied, he turns towards the two behind him, stepping over the remnants of his battle. He approaches the two figures and notes just how small Ranboo looks, despite Techno knowing Ranboo is much taller than him. </p><p>“How’s he doing?” He kneels in front of Ranboo, giving Phil the room he needs. He’s working the potions into Ranboo’s arm and moves to grab something to cover the wounds with. </p><p>“Creeper burns on his arm from the explosion, and I can tell he’s been in the water. And-”</p><p>Phil is interrupted as Ranboo sharply sucks in air and flinches away from Phil as he’s trying to cover his arm. </p><p>“Hey, where’s your armor? You can’t just go around without that armor of yours, the water’s dangerous!”</p><p>Ranboo keeps his head low, breathing heavily to distract himself from the pain.</p><p>“Ranboo,” Techno speaks firmly, not quite a yell but enough to grab Ranboo’s attention. His head jerks upwards, and Techno is startled by the state he’s in.</p><p>“Ah, kid,” he murmurs, grabbing some healing potions himself and opening the lids. Techno had always assumed, especially from the scars trailing down Ranboo’s cheeks, that crying didn't exactly agree with him, just like any water. Now Techno’s theories are confirmed, as Ranboo’s face is red and raw from the tears that flowed down his face. Techno grabs some cloth and holds it out towards Ranboo.</p><p>“Here, try to stop,” he suggests.</p><p>“I- I can't, it just won't stop. They won't stop coming, and it’s all my fault, I didn’t do anything and now-” Ranboo stammers, eyes darting around like a madman.</p><p>“Ranboo!” Techno shouts this time, startling even Phil. “I need you to calm down, we can’t help you until you do. Now, we’re going to move inside. It’s cold, and we need to get in before any more mobs show up. Okay?”</p><p>Ranboo nods his head and moves to his feet. Techno looks to Phil, who’s grabbing the remaining supplies they haven’t yet used. He looks back to a shivering Ranboo and just now recognizes that without armor, the boy must be freezing.</p><p>He removes his cape and drapes it over him, struggling a bit to reach up and secure it around him. <em>Stupid enderman powers, forget those silk touch hands, this height alone is just crazy,</em> he thinks. The three move back into the house, and Techno is sure to check the surrounding area for any mobs that might approach them. Luckily, they reach the house without incident.</p><p>Ranboo sits in a chair at the table, and Phil sets their supplies down near him. It seems that Ranboo’s calmed down a bit during their short walk, and Techno can now address the wounds to his face. He grabs a healing potion and starts to work.</p><p>“So, can you tell us what happened?” Phil asks, grabbing his own supplies and returning to the injured arm. Ranboo takes a shaky breath, both preparing for the two’s efforts to heal him and to tell his story. </p><p>“It’s all my fault. I should’ve been there, I should have done something, I could have-”</p><p>“Ranboo, focus,” Techno snaps his fingers in front of Ranboo’s face to refocus him. “We need information. Let’s start from the beginning. Where were you?” </p><p>“I was at- I was near the prison,” he replies. “I was building my hotel.”</p><p>“Your hotel?” Phil leans to look at Ranboo.</p><p>“Yeah, the Bee n’ Boo. I was building with Tubbo-”</p><p>“With Tubbo? Now Ranboo, what did I tell you about governments?” Techno interrupts.</p><p>“Techno,” Phil scolds. “Not the time.”</p><p>“Fine, fine. Keep going.”</p><p>“Okay. I was building the hotel, and Tubbo said Sam needed him at the prison. I needed a break, so I went with him. So we talked to Sam, and then everything just went downhill. He left and we tried to get back into the prison but it just wouldn't work so I- I just thought Sam was playing a trick or just something to get everyone’s attention off the prison, but it's just… No, no way it happened just like that it should've been cool or-”</p><p>“Ranboo,” Phil interrupts. “I need you to breathe. You need to calm down.”</p><p>Ranboo takes a short, staggering breath, and nods his head.</p><p>“Good. Now, go back a bit. What did Sam tell you and Tubbo?” Phil asks slowly.</p><p>“Tommy,” he replies. “It’s Tommy, he- his-”</p><p>“What happened to Tommy?” Techno asks, coaxing him to respond. Ranboo turns to Techno, his red and green eyes sadder than Techno has ever seen. </p><p>“He’s dead.”</p><p>Techno’s eyes grow wide, and he feels the breath catch in his throat. He turns to Phil, who mirrors his shocked expression.</p><p>“Ranboo, what do you mean Tommy’s dead?” Phil returns to look at Ranboo.</p><p>“I- I don’t know. Sam just told us that he couldn’t get to Tommy in time, that he left them after giving them some food, and next thing he knew Dream had beaten him to death in the cell.”</p><p>“Wait, Tommy was with Dream in the prison?” Techno asks.</p><p>Ranboo nods his head. “There was a security breach while Tommy was visiting Dream, so he got trapped there, in the main cell. The prison books- the contract you have to sign so you can get into the prison say you can be trapped there for a week if anything happens, so-”</p><p>“So Tommy was trapped in that cell, with Dream, for a week. And Dream got fed up and killed him,” Techno says to no one in particular.</p><p>“Techno, Jesus,” Phil hisses. “Alright, listen Ranboo. We’re gonna get you patched up, and we're gonna take you back to your place, right? And then we can get Enderchest to curl up with you and you can get some rest. Alright?”</p><p>Ranboo nods his head and resigns to let the two work on healing him. They work in silence, covering the wounds. When they’re finished they move from their house to Ranboo’s. Enderchest is hot in their heels as they walk up the stairs to set Ranboo to bed. Ranboo shrugs off Techno’s cape and returns it. </p><p>Phil and Techno retreat to their house, giving Ranboo space to settle into the night himself. Techno immediately moves to his room, ignoring Phil’s attempts to strike up a conversation with him. Phil has only the best intentions, of course. But right now, Techno needs to be alone. He shuts the door behind him. </p><p>He drapes his cape on the back of the door and begins to methodically shrug off his armor before moving to his bed. He lays on his back, reveling in the cool air that reaches every inch of his body now that he’s lacking armor after the long day. The only noise Techno registers is the sound of Phil slowly moving about their cabin, seemingly settling into his own bed.</p><p>That’s what Techno tells himself. Maybe if he tells himself that enough, it’ll remain true. Maybe he can just have a quiet night.</p><p>
  <em>Tommy’s dead?</em>
</p><p>But of course. The voices. Techno never catches a break, the voices flowing to fill any dead air in his life. They aren’t always unwanted; sometimes they were welcome, filling his days with witty banter, or they could turn violent and fuel the fire within him as he fought, or they could guide his way, advising him of his many options. But now... now he wanted nothing more than to be alone, but he was cursed to always be far from loneliness. </p><p>
  <em>The child has died!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Not Tommy</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That child was killed in SELF DEFENSE </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tommy didn’t deserve that</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No, he’s too young</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Pog, annoying child is gone, crabrave!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I miss him, he can’t be dead</em>
</p><p>Techno lifts his pillow from behind his bed over his face, a desperate attempt to muffle the voices. He knows full well that he’ll be unsuccessful; he’s tried before, nothing silences the voices. </p><p>He sits up, rubbing his face in his hands. <em>Welp</em>, he thinks to himself. <em>No rest for the wicked I suppose.</em></p><p>
  <em>Good riddance to the traitor!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>More blood for the blood god</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If only L’manburg was still here</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ayup- Tom-</em>
</p><p>Techno jolts up. <em>Wait. L’manburg?</em> Of everything that happened, why would the voices latch onto L’manburg?</p><p>
  <em>L’manburg!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>More like L’manhole haha</em>
</p><p>
  <em>o7</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I miss Wilbur</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The good old days :(</em>
</p><p>Techno wanted nothing more than silence, for the voices to leave him alone, to stop bringing up memories that were long dead, buried, and blown to smithereens. Why would they do that to him, force him to think about that place, the place he fought for, the place he was betrayed by time and time again? His thoughts refused to leave the country. Why would they force him back to that time? </p><p>He longed for the morning to end the stream of pleading, but the bright glow of salvation would not find its way into the world for ages. It offered him too much time to listen, to contemplate, to plan.</p><p>-</p><p>“Techno, how fucking stupid are you?” Phil asks him the next morning. He wakes up to Techno crushing fermented spider eyes and adding them to the brewing stand.</p><p>“Well good morning to you too, Phil,” he replies over his shoulder.</p><p>“What are you doing?”</p><p>“Well, it would seem as if I don't have to explain myself, considering your reaction,” Techno turns to face Phil now. Phil is standing, arms crossed in front of him, leaning against his door frame.</p><p>“Techno, do you realize how stupid you have to be to even think about that?”</p><p>“Then call me a lunatic,” Techno dismisses, waving his hand in front of him.</p><p>Phil shoots him a disapproving look. </p><p>“Phil, I’ll be fine. I’m prepared, see?” He motions towards the brewing stand, where his potions are nearly done. “I’ve been in far worse situations before and come back alive. After all, T-”</p><p>“I swear to fucking God, if you say Technoblade never dies,” Phil mocks Techno’s voice, “I will punt you into the fucking sun.”</p><p>“Hey,” he shrugs. “I didn’t say it, you did.”</p><p>“Techno,” Phil states firmly.</p><p>“Phil,” he responds, crossing his arms in front of himself now. They stare at each other for a minute, their unspoken language running through the space between them.</p><p>Phil sighs. “You’re too stubborn for your own good. Just, come back.” He says, before turning and retreating into his room.</p><p>“Always do,” he responds, just before the door is shut.</p><p>He returns to his work station, watching the spider eye bubble and dissolve, turning the vial a sickly purplish color. He removes the potions, replacing them with a new batch to let sizzle while he prepares. He retreats to his room, donning his armor and collecting his supplies for the day. The silence is once again filled with the voices longing for what was. When he returns the potions are finished, and he takes them as his last supplies. </p><p>It’s now that he hears rustling outside their house, and he looks to find the source: Ranboo. He watches for a while, observing him moving blocks around their land, and picking up little magenta-colored flowers. If he wasn’t so tense, Techno might have run out there and screamed about his property value. However, Ranboo seems to be in his state, where he walked around aimlessly, eyes blank. He seems to be in his own little world whenever Techno finds him like this, like there's a barrier blocking Ranboo from that around him, untouchable by anyone and everything. So, he resolves to leave Ranboo alone.</p><p>After a while, Ranboo starts moving towards the portal that takes them away from their commune. Techno takes a deep breath, convincing himself to take the first few steps to follow him. He takes one of the invis potions on his way out the door and hopes Ranboo doesn’t notice the second set of footprints following him. The trek is luckily uneventful, and over faster than Techno can register where he’s ended up. </p><p>Techno stalls atop the glass barrier covering the crater he caused. Tubbo approaches Ranboo, and the two descend into the hole, leaving Techno alone. He sits, resting his axe against his shoulder as he stares down to the red-infested trench. He watches as the two join Puffy at the bottom of the pit, and all three move to build. A memorial in the place Tommy lost everything for, only for it to be reduced to nothing. </p><p>Time flies through him, dragged along by the cold air that swirled and wrenched a cold grip around him. He notices a figure, Jack Manifold, returning to the hotel, unsure of when he’d arrived in the first place. Was he there when Techno arrived? He should know, but he can’t seem to remember. </p><p>More time passes in a blur, and he sees the three below him move towards the surface. He drinks another invis potion to ensure they can't find him there and watches them move away from the crater. When they are out of sight, he makes the trek downwards.</p><p>He approaches their monument, noting the irony. Tommy betrayed him for this land, and yet here Techno stands, armorless and yet completely untouched. </p><p>He feels everything and nothing all at once. L’manburg: a country, a government, in every sense responsible for the chaos and destruction in the past. The site of a revolution, the union between them to take down Schlatt. The butcher army that attempted to take his life. A memory of explosions, blackstone, and withers. These are the facts: L’manburg was against him from the start, against everything Techno stood for. </p><p>And L’manburg was Tommy’s. The Tommy that turned against him and reinstated a dictator after the weeks of work spent gathering supplies and ensuring his companions were protected. Tommy, who betrayed him and returned to the ones who cast him aside in the name of this godforsaken country, leaving Techno and the time they spent together in the dust. The Tommy that infiltrated his home to flee from the exile Dream had forced him into, to escape the terrible treatment he endured for weeks. The cobblestone towers Tommy built by his home. The night under the moon with Tommy and Ranboo, foolishly believing that maybe he could help them, protect them. Their incognito missions into L’manburg. After all that time, Techno had grown to respect Tommy. Trust wasn’t the word he would use, but some would say it was as close as Techno could come to trusting him. He found himself begrudgingly acknowledging his strength, able to survive even the relentless treatment of Dream himself and coming out alive, broken but not defeated. Hell, Tommy was able to rally the entire server and put Dream in that obsidian box. Tommy might have been motivated by those stupid discs, but they were one hell of a motivator. </p><p>Techno cannot help but feel sorrow for the death of TommyInnit, no matter how desperately he wishes it was not the case.</p><p>He sits in the depths of the crater, only the sound of the rain hitting the glass far above reaching him.</p><p>Silence.</p><p>The voices are gone, not even they can console him, guide him, free him from the deafening silence he never knew he despised so much. They forced him back to this place, only to abandon him in the end. Just like Tommy.</p><p>Techno thinks the glass above him has broken when he first feels a wet streak trace its way down his cheek. He quickly realizes this isn’t the case and gets up to leave. That’s enough for him. He makes his way to the surface.</p><p>He’s startled when he’s greeted by a figure outside the exit. Ranboo stands guard, back turned to the crater.</p><p>“You deserve peace,” Ranboo says, back still turned. </p><p>Techno can’t care how or why Ranboo is here and just stares.</p><p>“I’m going to Snowchester for a while. Tubbo needs me. I’ll be back soon enough,” Ranboo turns to face Techno now. “Make it back safe, okay? Tell Phil I’ll be fine.”</p><p>“Okay Ranboo,” Techno responds. “Stay safe yourself.”</p><p>“I hope you found what you were looking for,” were Ranboo’s last words before he set off towards Snowchester.</p><p>
  <em>Ranboo nooooo</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Snowchester? He’s going to betray you again!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yeah! Just like Tommy!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>o7</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tommy :(</em>
</p><p>Techno sets off towards home, the voices blurring together and talking way too fast for him to keep up with. The hazy static he never knew he would come to miss is welcoming. He traverses the ghost town and reaches the portal, sending him back home. </p><p>Home.</p><p>Phil is sitting on the steps, and gives Techno a nod upon seeing him return home. Techno is thankful when he turns into the house. He makes his way towards his home and is greeted by a flurry of warm white fur when he enters. He scratches Steve's chin, pushing him away temporarily. He unpacks his supplies, throwing them haphazardly into chests. His armor follows, packed into a random chest. That’s an issue for a later date. Right now, he needs a break.</p><p>He returns to Steve, handing him a fish to treat him. Steve settles down to enjoy his treat, sitting against the wall. Techno follows suit, settling into his floor and leaning into Steve’s warm fur. He’s grateful for the warmth that surrounds him, melting the rain and cold far away.</p><p>Reality hits him once again. Tommy went out, not with a bang, not with a grand explosion of drama and terror and flare. TommyInnit did not die a hero's death. No, Tommy went out sad, lonely, and terrified, trapped in a cell. Surrounded by all the things he hated and feared, Dream stole the last breath of the child who spread like the rain itself, soaking deep into everything and everyone he touched. What authority did Dream have to take away the child that touched the world so effortlessly? </p><p>Techno leaned into the fur radiating heat around him, allowing himself to drift off.</p><p>After all of this, was Dream really worthy of his favor?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hope you enjoyed! (enjoyed still just doesn't feel like the right word but that's okay)</p><p>i was super worried about writing for Techno because i felt like i wouldn't be able to do him/Phil justice, but i hope it's at least somewhat decent. </p><p>also, i have ideas to expand on the other sections, not just Techno's! whether i actually write those out remains to be seen, but we'll just have to wait and see.</p><p>as always, comments/kudos are GREATLY appreciated, i love knowing you guys like what i'm writing :))</p><p>tumblr-moonlightagainstclouds<br/>twitter-jpeg_mac</p></blockquote></div></div>
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